Footstools for supporting one or both feet of a person are well known in the art as shown by U.S. Pat. No. 740,071 ("Allen"). Other types of support for the feet include a cushion as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,838 ("Scholl") and U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,876 ("Bowles"). U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,977 ("Schneider") discloses a therapeutic support for supporting one or both feet of a seated individual to provide therapeutic relief to the individual's lower back.
It is also known in the art to provide devices which provide a massaging effect to the feet. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,553 ("Voykin") discloses stimulators having protrusions, knobs, or ridges for stimulating reflex zones of the foot. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,774 ("Hatuno") discloses a massage sandal having projections of various heights for purposes of stimulating the soles of the feet and facilitating the circulation system of the blood within the soles of the feet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,483 ("Picolin") discloses a mat having projections for stimulating the muscles of the feet and legs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,981 ("Dungl") discloses a foot massage mat having hill-like raised portions or protuberances and the protuberances can be sized and spaced such that one protuberance fits into the free space formed below the foot arch to support the arch while the toes bear upon a neighboring protuberance.
The foregoing U.S. Patents do not include automated mechanisms for massaging the feet. A foot treatment apparatus which includes a mechanical vibrator assembly and means for providing heat to the feet is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,855 ("Friedson"). U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,602 ("Scarborough") discloses a foot massager which sprays water upwardly on the soles of a user's feet and includes a reciprocating support plate for providing a massaging action to the soles of a user's feet.